• Boston gave another backup, outfielder/DH Jonny Gomes, an even bigger raise with a two-year, $10 million deal. Again, that is pocket change for a financial behemoth like the Red Sox. I understand and agree with them paying a premium for a great clubhouse guy like Gomes, but he made $1 million in 2012 and wasn't overpaid considering he played 99 games. Good guys don't always finish last.

There is no way the Blue Jays can know how much Cabrera was helped by testosterone, or how long he had been using it. What I know is that he was viewed as an out-of-shape, below-average outfielder for the Atlanta Braves just two years ago.

More befuddling than Broxton’s average salary is the length of his deal. Three years for a reliever is a year too much, but it has become the going rate after the recent Brandon League and Jeremy Affeldt deals.

What makes this deal so difficult to understand is that the small-revenue Pirates outbid the mighty-moneyed New York Yankees for Martin’s services. That isn't supposed to happen, especially not when the Yankees badly needed Martin and he wanted to stay (give him credit for not saying this move wasn't about the money).

But that's how crazy this offseason has become. While many clubs are spending like their coffers are stuffed, the Yankees have begun to show financial restraint. They seem determined to reach their goal to reduce payroll to less than $189 million by 2014.

While $189 million is twice as much as what 18 teams spent on player salaries in 2012, the fact is the Yankees are cutting back. Granted, they are doing so to prevent from being slammed by the luxury tax — something most teams don’t have to worry about — but you still would think other clubs might take notice. If the Yankees realize that spending the most money doesn't guarantee success, so should everyone else.

Such an incredible rise in revenue helps to explain how some teams can pay for these contracts. The dollar amounts are certain to climb to even crazier levels when the likes of Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke and Nick Swisher decide to sign.

I guess I better get my neck in shape. A whole of head-shaking is still to come.